Revolutionizing Document Search: The Power of Images

Host

Welcome back to another episode of Tech Talks! Today, we’re diving into an interesting topic that many of you might find relatable—extracting information from complex documents. It's something we all struggle with, especially when it comes to PDFs filled with charts and tables.

Expert

Absolutely! It's a common frustration. At Morphik, we've been focusing on how to make this process easier by using images rather than traditional text parsing.

Host

That’s intriguing! So, why images instead of trying to parse text using OCR, like most tools do?

Expert

Great question! When you try to extract information from a PDF that contains mixed content—like text, charts, and tables—you often end up losing critical information. It’s like trying to watch a movie by only reading its script; you miss all the visual storytelling.

Host

Exactly! I’ve experienced this with invoices and research papers before. Can you give us a concrete example of what you mean?

Expert

Sure! Take a simple financial report page. If you run it through an OCR tool, the numbers might come out okay, but the headings and the values can get jumbled. For instance, an invoice might read "1,000" as "l,0O0." This means you're searching for information in a document that has been mangled beyond recognition.

Host

Wow, that’s a big headache, especially if you’re trying to retrieve specific data! So, how does using images help solve these problems?

Expert

Using images preserves the original layout and context of the document. Instead of trying to interpret the text and structure, we keep everything as it appears visually. This approach allows us to leverage the visual aspects of the document that often hold the key information.

Host

That makes sense! So, instead of parsing the text, you’re utilizing the images directly?

Expert

Exactly! We pass the original document to a language model. Even when some information needs to be converted to text for databases, we find that working with the original document leads to better outcomes.

Host

That sounds like a much more efficient way to handle document search! But what about the traditional methods? Is there any benefit to them?

Expert

Well, traditional methods often involve a pipeline of OCR, layout detection, and various parsing steps, which can be quite complex and error-prone. Sure, OCR has its place, particularly for structured databases, but it often leads to tears, as I like to say.

Host

Tears? That’s a vivid description! So, how do you recommend organizations approach this issue?

Expert

I suggest they rethink their document processing strategy. Instead of relying solely on parsing, they should consider a visual-first approach. It can save time and resources while improving accuracy.

Host

I love that! It sounds like a game changer. Thanks for sharing your insights today!

Expert

My pleasure! I hope this helps listeners rethink how they handle document searches.

Host

Thanks for tuning in, everyone! If you’ve struggled with document searching, maybe it’s time to try something new!